Saltwater fishing license investigated

The Department of Primary Industries has commissioned a report looking into the benefit of saltwater fishing licenses for Tasmania. It happens in other places in Australia, and for other fisheries in Tasmania, but is the 'Assessment of Licensing' report a quest for equity across recreational fishing, or a revenue raising exercise for a cash challenged department.

Do you notice the flatheads are getting smaller, or you are catching less fish?

A new report has looked at the feasibility of introducing a saltwater recreational fishing license to subsidise the management and monitoring costs across the range of saltwater fisheries.

Sven Frijlink, a fisheries research consultant, has prepared a report for the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (DPIPWE) entitled An Assessment of Licensing Arrangements for Tasmania's Marine Recreational Fisheries.

He has looked a number of different models for introducing a license based on what is affordable and equitable.

Speaking with Leon Compton on Statewide Mornings, Mr Frijlink said, "in Tasmania the money required to manage the recreational fishery, in terms of research, in terms of compliance, communications, licensing and so forth, that's about 2.5 million dollars."

Already established recreational fishing licenses cover around half that cost, although there have been fluctuations in revenue from areas such as rock lobster and abalone.

Asked if the license money goes towards consolidated revenue, Mr Frijlink said, "rather than that money going to the government, the money that is currently being raised by the license is all being used for recreational fisheries management."

He said that as there are declines in fish stocks and more research is required, there are a range of potential reseach projests that could be funded through a broader license.

"It could also be used to fund other things to."

"In Victoria and New South Wales, since their license was introduced in about 2000, the've funded lots of pontoons, lots of platforms for people with access issues, they have also looked at stock enhancement, they've also bought out commercial fishing in high use areas."

Asked if he thinks that Tasmania will inevitably introduce a license, Mr Frijlink said, "I do know that around the world, and in Australia, there certainly has been a movement in the last 30-40 years towards cost recovery, and user pays in natural resource management."

A new report has looked at the feasibility of introducing a saltwater recreational fishing license to subsidise the management and monitoring costs across the range of saltwater fisheries.
(Kim Honan - ABC Rural )